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Every child loves to feel like they are smart, intelligent, and a bright student. Just because they aren’t learning to read as fast as you would like doesn’t mean they aren’t smart. Many children sometimes take longer than others to learn how to read. During these times, parents and the child need an extra dose of patience. It may take a while to learn, but reading is an achievable goal. There are times when it is more difficult for a child to learn to read.
The key is teaching a child to read repetition. Often, no matter how badly you want something to happen, if you repeat it often, the child will learn. Just remember to have a big dose of patience!
When it comes to a child learning to read, it’s important to separate technique from principle. For example, phonics is not a principle. Phonics is a specific set of techniques for using oral language to teach printed language. The principle at stake is the awareness of sound-symbol relationships.
It’s an important distinction to make because it isn’t necessary to spend large amounts of money on whatever “magic” technique that promises to teach your child to read. In most cases, it simply takes the consistent application of core principles over time.
Ways To Help Your Child Learn To Read
The following is not an exhaustive list to help your child learn to read, but if consistently followed, it should help create a positive and stimulating environment for your young reader:
Read 20 Minutes a Day
No matter what they read, the more your child reads aloud, the better. Your child can begin with simple readers. As they learn to read, they can move on in the hardness of the book. You and the child will both have a sense of accomplishment as they work toward more difficult books.
Dr. Seuss is a great series to begin children learning to read. They are simple words that can help your child tackle the reading process. A good method is to read every night before they go to bed. This process can begin as early as a toddler, and many younger children can begin on the easier books by Dr. Seuss.
Memorise Phonics Rules
Rules like “I before E except after C” are essential to learning how to read. The more special sounds your child memorizes and practices, the easier it will be for them to learn how to sound out words.
Give Reward System
Reading is an accomplishment for every person. As a child achieves your reading goals, give them a special reward. These rewards need to be something that they will want to continue achieving. For every family, it will be different. The goal is to ensure the child knows what an achievement they’ve accomplished with each book they read.
Reading in the Car is Fun
A fun way to read aloud is when you are riding in the car. Before you begin, pick out a few words the child will be looking for. They can look at signs, billboards, or anything that will have words written on it. The child will enjoy staying busy looking for the special words during the drive. To start, pick words you know your child knows, and this helps them feel good about themselves when they find that word.
Create some type of system where they have to find so many words. Each time they get in the car, they can try to beat their own number. This is a creative way to get your child reading without pressure.
Create Sing-A-Longs
Learning to read can be a difficult, stressful, and downright frustrating process. Lighten the mood by creating simple sing-a-longs for your child to sing. Spell out words and say special sounds in the songs. This is an easy way to teach phonics rules, special sounds, and most of all-teach your child to read all by having fun! The tunes can be whatever you like; the key is keeping them simple and short.
Set The Example
“Do as I say, not as I do“ is a powerful de-motivator for children. Let your child see the importance of reading through your actions. Make reading a priority for the entire household. In addition to bedtime stories, let your child see you reading for pleasure. Set aside time for the entire family to read together, either shared reading of a single story or individual reading in a shared space.
Map The World
As you go about your daily routines, consciously map the world around you for your child. This is not just the naming of different objects but also the exploration of the relationships between things.
Foster an active sense of curiosity about the world around your child. For example, if you’re going shopping with your child, bring the experience alive by pointing things out, asking questions, and asking him or her to do things for you, like getting the peas. Engage all the senses as you both explore the environment.
As a follow-up, when you get home, find a book about shopping and connect it to what your child experienced.
Let The Child Be The Problem-Solver
Let your child figure things out on his or her own. Simply telling your child the answers only encourages a passive sense of learning. Asking your child, on the other hand, sets up the immediate reward of getting the right answer.
To extend the previous shopping example, let your child choose the brand. You can guide the discussion on the relative merits between different brands, but let them make the final choice.
Reading comprehension is ultimately an exercise in problem-solving, and that is more of an attitude than anything else.
Have Fun!
This is self-explanatory but is sometimes easily forgotten in the hectic bustle of our lives. The more you encourage your child to have fun while reading, the more you model it yourself, and the greater chance your child will become a life-long reader with a love of learning new things.
No matter what method you use in teaching your child to read, the key is staying patient throughout the process. Remind yourself and your child that anything is possible if you give it your best effort. Happy Reading!
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